What Happened
by stavie93
Summary: Rachel/Miles. Set during their trip with Bass to find Connor. OneShot.


**Author's Note:** My first ever fic for Revolution! I couldn't count the number of times I tried to call Rachel Juliet in this thing. lol

I'm going to go back to focusing on my Suliet stories, but I may do more for Revolution some time. I love the Rachel/Miles relationship!

Please read and review!

 **Disclaimer:** Revolution is (unfortunately) not mine!

 **What Happened**

The Texas sky was dark, but full of stars. Miles was on his back staring up at them as Rachel's even breathing next to him began to lull him to sleep. They'd started this trip out by simply sleeping on the same side of the fire at night. They gradually grew closer to where now they shared the same blanket. Some nights one even slept with an arm draped across the other.

Bass hadn't said anything about their new sleeping arrangements. Miles found he didn't care. The guilt he'd always carried for loving his brother's wife was finally starting to fade. He certainly would rather have Ben alive than dead, but at least now he was technically no longer married to Rachel and that made Miles feel a little better.

Miles had always loved Rachel, even in the airport when he broke her heart insisting that he didn't. Her tears had almost killed him, but he stood his ground. He knew he was an asshole, but he wasn't going to be the asshole that stole his brothers girlfriend when he knew said brother was thinking of proposing. So he'd left. And he lied. It wasn't long afterwards that Rachel and Ben were married. Then came Charlie.

As far as Miles knew Ben was never informed of his affair with Rachel. He'd still kept his distance though. In the years before the blackout the brothers had only seen each other on major holidays – Christmas and Thanksgiving. They only spoke a few times during the rest of the year. It was easier that way. Seeing Rachel was hard on him and he was sure she didn't particularly wish to see him either. He'd been busy anyway. The perfect excuse.

The blackout brought them together, though. Miles had asked for Ben, but got Rachel instead. However, he couldn't say he was exactly disappointed, especially when he found out she knew just as much, if not more, about the power outage than her husband. He'd be the first to admit to being cold, distant, and downright mean when they'd first been reunited. He felt bad about it now. General Matheson had taken over. The old Miles had disappeared, but one look into her blue eyes and all the old feelings came back. The old Miles and the new Miles conflicted for years over their thoughts and feelings toward Rachel until the day Bass showed him what he believed to be her dead body.

Miles sighed and turned on his side facing Rachel. He now knew it had been staged, but the sight of her lying there lifeless still haunted him. That day had been one of the worst of his life. The day he found out she was still alive had been one of the best.

Rachel mumbled something unintelligible in her sleep then quieted. Miles took a long look at her, mentally memorizing the shape of her nose, the curve of her lips, and the way her hair tried to fall across her face in sleep. The worst part about finding out she was alive was the knowledge that he would have to relive the day of her death. Though hopefully in better circumstances.

He finally settled down and closed his eyes. The two were close enough for Miles to feel Rachel's each exhale against his cheek. He found it comforting and soon drifted off.

Half an hour later Miles' eyes popped open. It took him a moment to figure out what was going on.

"No." Rachel said firmly next to him. She was on her back and her eyes were closed. Her head tossed from side to side, her arms pushed away someone who wasn't there. She stilled suddenly. "Please." She begged. "Don't."

Miles sat up. "Rachel." His voice was soft as he leaned over her to gently wake her. He could see tears seep from the corners of her eyes even through sleep. "Rach." His hand went to her shoulder.

"No!" Rachel yelled suddenly. She pushed hard against Miles' chest. He flew backwards and nearly hit his head on a rock.

"Shit!" Miles grunted.

Rachel startled awake and looked around wildly. She paused on Miles. He was sitting back up, rubbing his head.

"Shut up you two!" Bass groaned from the other side of the fire and turned over.

Rachel pushed the blanket off her and wiped at her eyes with her sleeves. "I'm sorry." She said in Miles' direction before getting up and heading into the darkness.

Miles jumped up and followed. "Rachel wait!" He called in a loud whisper while glancing at Bass who seemed to have gone back to sleep.

Rachel wasn't running, but she was moving fast. Miles jogged to catch up. He grabbed her elbow gently and she spun around to him. The tears were coming harder and faster than before with gasps for air in between sobs. Miles wrapped his arms around her and her head cocooned in the space between his neck and shoulder.

"I'm sorry." She said after a few moments when the tears subsided.

Miles stroked her hair. "It's ok. It was just a dream."

Rachel stepped back enough to allow her to look at him. "Are you ok?" She asked. "I didn't mean to…" She trailed off.

"I'm fine. I know you didn't mean to." He assured her while pushing back the wet strands of hair stuck to her face. "It was just a dream." He said again and was momentarily stunned by the new wave of tears that threatened to fall at his words.

Rachel backed away from his embrace. She wiped at her eyes and took a deep breath. "It wasn't a dream." She tucked her hair behind her ear. Miles looked thoroughly confused. "It was a memory." She admitted.

Realization hit Miles like a ton of bricks. His expression hardened. "Bass." It was more of a statement than a question and he looked back towards the campfire where the man in question was still sleeping.

Rachel shook her head though she knew he wasn't looking at her. "No." She said. "Aside from having Ben killed and holding my children hostage the only thing Bass ever did to me was hand me over to Strausser." She wrapped her arms around herself. She'd never intended to go down this path with Miles. Or anyone for that matter.

Strausser. Miles always hated the man. Necessary torture was one thing. Miles didn't like it, but would do it if he had to. But Strausser enjoyed it. A lot. Miles had made sure he never got his hands on Rachel. But then he left because of a lie. A lie Bass told.

Rachel could see the gears turning in his head. She watched as his anger boiled over to the surface. He turned suddenly from staring daggers in Bass' general direction.

"What did he do to you?"

"Miles." She warned him.

"No." He said. "I gotta know." He stepped closer to her. She could see the pain and guilt already forming in his eyes.

Rachel sighed and refused to look him in the eye. "You name it, he probably did it."

Miles' face became a series of angry lines. His fists clenched at his sides.

"He was pretty good about not leaving scars though." Rachel added before finally meeting Miles' eyes.

He looked at her a moment before wrapping her in his arms. "I'm so sorry." He whispered and Rachel felt the tears coming again.

She tried not to think about all that had happened in Philadelphia. It was too much. While there she'd learned to distance herself from the things that were happening. She still tried, but it was getting harder and harder to come to terms with it without actually dealing with it.

Miles held her at an arms length. He brushed a stray tear from her cheek. "If I'd known…" He had to pause. It was rare for his emotion to seep so thoroughly into his voice. "I thought you were dead." He continued. "I _never_ would have left."

"How could you not know it wasn't me?" Rachel's voice also became drenched in emotion as she asked the question that had been weighing on her since Miles first told her that her death had been faked for his benefit. "They said you just left." She tried to keep her emotions in check. She was tired of crying. "They said you didn't care anymore."

"Bass told me you tried to escape. He said you managed to get one of the windows open and jumped." Rachel just looked at him as he told his story. "It was too high." He continued. "They showed me a body on the sidewalk. The face was gone." He shook his head at the memory. "She was wearing your clothes. Your wedding ring." He looked at Rachel. "I never would have left if I thought you were alive."

Miles pulled her in towards him and she went willingly. They embraced tightly, bodies pressed close together. He spoke softly. "I loved you." He admitted. "I've always loved you." They pulled apart just enough to look in each other's eyes. "I still love you." He said.

Rachel brought her lips up to his and he accepted them ferociously. When the need for oxygen became too great they broke the kiss. "You know I love you." Her words were a whisper against his lips.

They hugged again, clinging to each other like it was the first or last time. After a while Miles broke the silence. "Come on." He said and took her hand. "We need to sleep. Got a lot of ground to cover tomorrow before we find Connor."

Rachel let him lead her back to their campfire and Bass who, thankfully, was still asleep.


End file.
